Refugee crisis: Dramatic scenes as hundreds of migrants wade across river from Greece into Macedonia

Hundreds of refugees and migrants who had been stranded in northern Greece are crossing into neighbouring Macedonia. Several hundred people have made their way across the border after walking for hours in heavy rain and wading across a river — many carrying children and their belongings on their heads. They then found an opening in the border fence near the Greek village of Hamilo, and crossed into Macedonia.

A refugee family tumble into a river as they cross into MacedoniaDaniel Mihailescu/AFP

The migrants and refugees left the overcrowded camp near Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonia border, travelling west on foot. They repeatedly defied orders by the Greek police to turn back.

Migrants and refugees break through a police cordon near the campStoyan Nenov/ReutersHundreds of migrants and refugees head towards MacedoniaStoyan Nenov/ReutersMigrants and refugees walk along a path looking for a way to cross the Greek-Macedonia borderStoyan Nenov/ReutersA man carries her daughter as they trudge along behind other migrantsDaniel Mihailescu/AFP

In chaotic scenes, Greek and international volunteers helped the refugees across the river, using a rope to guide them through the fast-flowing water. Earlier in the day, Macedonian police had found the bodies of three people thought to be migrants crossing a river in a nearby area.

Stoyan Nenov/ReutersStoyan Nenov/ReutersStoyan Nenov/ReutersStoyan Nenov/ReutersDaniel Mihailescu/AFPA man is helped across a river near the Greek-Macedonian borderStoyan Nenov/ReutersMatt Cardy/Getty ImagesStoyan Nenov/Reuters

Macedonia's border has been sealed for the past 10 days, following transit restrictions imposed by EU-member Austria. More than 40,000 people have been stranded in Greece after countries along the Balkans route closed their borders to migrants and refugees — prompting them to seek more dangerous crossings. About 14,000 are at Idomeni alone, where conditions have continued to deteriorate after days of torrential rainfall.